1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method and a computer program product for transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, and more particularly, to an apparatus, a method and a computer program product for demultiplexing the first coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence signal containing video information, audio information, and program information into video information data strings, audio information data strings, and control information data strings, compress the video information data strings, and multiplex the compressed video information data strings, the audio information data strings, and the control information data strings in to the second coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence signal, and thus converting a first coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence signal containing video information, the audio information, and the program information in the form of bit streams transmitted at a first bit rate into a second coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence signal in the form of bit streams transmitted at a second bit rate lower than the first bit rate.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have so far been proposed a wide variety of systems for compressing and encoding a moving picture having a considerable large amount of data to produce a coded moving picture sequence signal. The international standard, ISO-IEC 13818-2, was created for a system operable to encode a digital video signal associated with a digital audio signal and commonly called xe2x80x9cMoving Picture Expert Group Phase 2xe2x80x9d, i.e., xe2x80x9cMPEG-2xe2x80x9d. The MPEG-2 system is designed to encode a digital video signal associated with a digital audio signal to generate a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence signal in the form of bit streams. For avoiding tedious repetition in the following description, the bit streams conformable to the above MPEG-2 standard will be referred to as xe2x80x9cMPEG-2 bit streamsxe2x80x9d, and a device for encoding a digital video signal associated with a digital audio signal to generate a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence signal in the form of bit streams will be referred to as an xe2x80x9cencoderxe2x80x9d, hereinlater. In recent years, the MPEG-2 standard has become increasingly applied for various technical systems such as a communicating system, and a television broadcasting system.
The above MPEG-2 bit streams are each of a hierarchical structure consisting of: a top, sequence layer; a GROUP OF PICTURES layer; a picture layer; a slice layer; a macroblock layer; and a low, block layer.
The typical encoder is operable under the MPEG-2 standard through a method of compressing and encoding a moving picture as follows. The method comprises the steps of:
(a) inputting the moving picture sequence consisting of a series of pictures;
(b) temporally storing the series of pictures as frames in memories, respectively;
(c) computing a difference between one frame and another frame to eliminate redundancy in a time axis direction; and
(d) orthogonal transforming, e.g., discrete cosine transforming (DCT), a plurality of picture elements within each of the frames to eliminate redundancy in a spatial axis direction.
The encoder thus constructed can compress and encode the moving picture to generate and output a coded moving picture sequence signal in the form of the MPEG-2 bit streams through a transmitting path at a predetermined bit rate. The coded signal is then transmitted from the encoder to a decoder which is adapted to decode the coded signal to reproduce the moving picture. The typical decoder is operated to decode the coded signal through a so-called bi-directionally predicting method which comprises the steps of:
(a) storing one reproduced picture, generally referred to as xe2x80x9cintra-picturexe2x80x9d, i.e., xe2x80x9cI-picturexe2x80x9d, in a first frame memory;
(b) estimating another picture generally referred to as xe2x80x9cpredictive-picturexe2x80x9d, i.e., xe2x80x9cP-picturexe2x80x9d, followed by the I-picture, on the basis of the information on a difference between I-picture and P-picture;
(c) storing the estimated picture in a second frame memory; and
(d) estimating further another picture interposed between the I-picture and P-picture, generally referred to as xe2x80x9cbi-directionally predictive-picturexe2x80x9d, i.e., xe2x80x9cB-picturexe2x80x9d.
Here, the I-picture is encoded independently of the pictures of the other types, so that a single I-picture can be reproduced as a static image only by itself. A P-picture can be predicted on the basis of the I-picture or a P-picture located on a position prior to the P-picture to be encoded.
In the above encoder, a volume of information on the coded moving picture sequence signal is, however, variable. In particularly, the volume of information increases remarkably when a scene is changed. The decoder is generally provided with an input buffer for receiving the coded moving picture sequence signal from the encoder. The input buffer of the decoder, however, has a limited storage capacity. Therefore, when a large number of bits of the coded moving picture sequence signal are transmitted from the encoder to the decoder, the input buffer overflows with the bits of the coded moving picture sequence signal thereby making the decoder difficult to process the coded moving picture sequence signal. In order to transmit such coded moving picture sequence signal having a variable number of bits through the transmitting path at a predetermined bit rate and to make it possible for any decoder to receive the whole of the coded moving picture sequence signal without overflow, the encoder comprises: an output buffer for temporally storing the coded moving picture sequence signal before transmitting the coded moving picture sequence signal through the transmitting path; and a rate controller for controlling the volume of information on the coded moving picture sequence signal stored in the output buffer so as to keep the volume of information on the coded moving picture sequence signal to be transmitted to the decoder from exceeding the volume of the input buffer of the decoder and then to control the bit rate of the coded moving picture sequence signal.
A typical rate controlling method in MPEG-2 standard is described in xe2x80x9cISO-IEC/JTC1/SC29/WG11/N0400 Test Model 5xe2x80x9d, April, 1993, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cTM-5xe2x80x9d. The rate controlling method according to the TM-5 comprises the steps of:
(I) allocating a target number of bits to a picture of each type on the basis of the total number of bits available to the current pictures to be encoded in the GROUP OF PICTURES, i.e., R, which will be described hereinafter;
(II) computing the reference value of a quantization parameter used for the quantization of each of macroblocks in a current picture on the basis of the utilization volume of a xe2x80x9cvirtual bufferxe2x80x9d to perform the rate control; and
(III) modulating the reference value of the quantization parameter in accordance with the spatial activity in the macroblock.
Furthermore, there are many types of decoders. For instance, a decoder is designed to decode the coded signal in a unique compression format different from that of MPEG-2 bit streams, and another decoder is connectable to a transmitting path having a different bit rate. The decoders of these types are therefore required to provide with an apparatus, a so-called transcoder, for converting the MPEG-2 bit streams into another appropriate coded signal in the specified format having the required bit rate. The transcoder makes it possible for the encoder to transmit the coded signal to any types of decoders.
Referring to FIG. 18 of the drawings, there is shown a conventional transcoder of one typical type as a first conventional transcoder 50. The conventional transcoder 50 has an input terminal a, electrically connected to a first transmitting path, not shown, and an output terminal a2 electrically connected to a second transmitting path, not shown. The conventional transcoder 50 is designed to input first bit streams b1 at a predetermined input bit rate through the input terminal a1, to convert the first bit streams b1 into second bit streams b2 to be outputted at a predetermined output bit rate, i.e., a target bit rate, lower than the input bit rate of the inputted first bit streams b1, and then to output the second bit streams b2 through the output terminal a2. The conventional transcoder 50 comprises a variable length decoder 51, referred to as xe2x80x9cVLDxe2x80x9d in the drawings, an inverse quantizer 53, referred to as xe2x80x9cIQxe2x80x9d in the drawings, a quantizer 55, referred to as xe2x80x9cQxe2x80x9d in the drawings, a variable length encoder 57, referred to as xe2x80x9cVLCxe2x80x9d in the drawings, and a rate controller 59.
The variable length decoder 51 is electrically connected to the input terminal a1 and designed to decode a coded moving picture sequence signal within the first bit streams b1 inputted through the input terminal a1 to reconstruct original picture data for each of pictures including a matrix of original quantization coefficients, referred to as xe2x80x9clevelxe2x80x9d, for each of macroblocks within each of the pictures and an original quantization parameter, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cfirst quantization parameter Q1xe2x80x9d.
The inverse quantizer 53 is electrically connected to the variable length decoder 51 and designed to input the matrix of original quantization coefficients level from the variable length decoder 51 and the first quantization parameter Q1. The inverse quantizer 53 is further designed to inversely quantize the inputted matrix of original quantization coefficients level with the first quantization parameter Q1 to generate a matrix of de-quantization coefficients, referred to as xe2x80x9cdequantxe2x80x9d, i.e., DCT coefficients, for each of macroblocks as follows:                               dequant          =                                    {                                                2                  xc3x97                  level                                +                                  sign                  ⁡                                      (                    level                    )                                                              }                        xc3x97                                                            Q                  1                                xc3x97                QM                            32                                      ⁢                  
                ⁢        or                            equation (1)                                dequant        =                  level          xc3x97                                                    Q                1                            xc3x97              QM                        16                                              equation (2)            
where the equation (1) is used for the inter macroblock, while the equation (2) is used for the intra macroblock. QM is a matrix of quantization parameters stored in a predetermined quantization table. The first quantization parameter Q1 and the matrix of quantization parameters QM are derived from the inputted first bit streams b1 by the decoder 51. Here, the original quantization coefficients level, the de-quantization coefficients dequant, the matrix of quantization parameters QM, and the first quantization parameter Q1 are integers. The de-quantization coefficients dequant calculated by the equations (1) and (2) should be rounded down to the nearest one.
The quantizer 55 is electrically connected to the inverse quantizer 53 and designed to input the matrix of de-quantization coefficients dequant from the inverse quantizer 53 and then quantize the inputted matrix of de-quantization coefficients dequant for each of macroblocks with a second quantization parameter, referred to as xe2x80x9cQ2xe2x80x9d hereinlater, to generate a matrix of re-quantization coefficients, referred to as xe2x80x9ctlevelxe2x80x9d, as follows:                                           t            ⁢                          xe2x80x83                        ⁢            level                    =                      dequant            xc3x97                          16                                                Q                  2                                xc3x97                QM                                                    ⁢                  
                ⁢        or                            equation (3)                                          t          ⁢                      xe2x80x83                    ⁢          level                =                              dequant            xc3x97                          16                                                Q                  2                                xc3x97                QM                                              +                                    sign              ⁡                              (                dequant                )                                      xc3x97                          1              2                                                          equation (4)            
where the equation (3) is used for the inter macroblock, while the equation (4) is used for the intra macroblock. The second quantization parameter Q2 is obtained by the rate controller 59. Here, the re-quantization coefficients tlevel and the second quantization parameter Q2 are also integers. The re-quantization coefficients tlevel calculated by the equations (3) and (4) should be rounded down to the nearest one. Such rounding operation for the integers will be omitted from the later description for avoiding tedious repetition.
The variable length encoder 57 is electrically connected to the quantizer 55 and designed to input the re-quantization coefficients tlevel from the quantizer 55 and then encode the inputted matrix of the re-quantization coefficients tlevel to generate objective picture data for each of pictures to sequentially output the objective picture data in the form of the second bit streams b2 through the output terminal a2. The variable length encoder 57 is further electrically connected to the variable length decoder 51 and designed to input a diversity of information data included in the first bit streams b1 necessary for the second bit streams b2 from the variable length decoder 51.
The rate controller 59 is electrically connected to the inverse quantizer 53 and designed to perform rate control process in accordance with the TM-5 on the basis of the information obtained from the inverse quantizer 53 as described below.
Referring to FIG. 19 of the drawings, there is shown a flowchart of the rate controlling process in accordance with the TM-5 carried out in the conventional transcoder 50. As shown in FIG. 19, the rate controlling process comprises steps A1 to A14.
In the step A1, xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d is assigned to a picture number variable n representing the serial number of a picture within the first bit streams b1. Hereinlater, a n-th picture in the first bit streams b, is referred to as xe2x80x9cpic(n)xe2x80x9d.
In the following step A2, a global complexity measure, referred to as Xi, Xp, or Xb, for a picture of the corresponding type, i.e., I, P or B-picture is computed as follows:
Xi=Sixc3x97Qixe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (5) 
or 
Xp=Spxc3x97Qpxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (6) 
or 
Xb=Sbxc3x97Qbxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (7) 
where Si, Sp, or Sb is the number of bits generated for an encoded I, P or B-picture, and Qi, Qp, or Qb is the average quantization parameter computed by averaging the actual quantization values used during the quantization of the all macroblocks within I, P or B-picture. The average quantization parameters Qi, Qp, and Qb are normalized within a range of 1 to 31. The average quantization parameters Qi, Qp, and Qb respectively correspond to the first quantization parameters Q1 obtained from the variable length decoder 51.
The global complexity measure Xi, Xp, or Xb of the corresponding picture is inversely proportional to the compressing ratio of the moving picture, namely, a ratio of the volume of information in the second bit streams b2 to that in the first bit streams b1. Namely, as the volume of information on the first bit streams b1 becomes larger, the compressing ratio is decreased. Therefore, the global complexity measure Xi, Xp, or Xb of the corresponding picture becomes larger, as the compressing ratio is decreased. In contrast, the global complexity measure Xi, Xp, or Xb of the corresponding picture becomes smaller, as the compressing ratio is increased.
The initial value of global complexity measure Xi, Xp, or Xb of the corresponding picture is given as follows:
Xi=160xc3x97Targetxe2x80x94Bitrate/115xe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (8) 
or 
Xp=60xc3x97Targetxe2x80x94Bitrate/115xe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (9) 
or 
Xb=42xc3x97Targetxe2x80x94Bitrate/115xe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (10) 
where Target_Bitrate is measured in bits/s and corresponds to the target bit rate of the first conventional transcoder 50.
In the following step A3, the target number of bits for a picture of the corresponding type, i.e., I, P or B-picture to be encoded in the current GROUP OF PICTURES, referred to as Ti, Tp, or Tb is computed as:                                           T            i                    =                      R                          1              +                                                                    N                    p                                    ⁢                                      X                    p                                                                                        X                    i                                    ⁢                                      K                    p                                                              +                                                                    N                    b                                    ⁢                                      X                    b                                                                                        X                    i                                    ⁢                                      K                    b                                                                                      ⁢                  
                ⁢        or                            equation (11)                                                      T            p                    =                      R                                          N                p                            +                                                                    N                    b                                    ⁢                                      K                    p                                    ⁢                                      X                    b                                                                                        K                    b                                    ⁢                                      X                    p                                                                                      ⁢                  
                ⁢        or                            equation (12)                                          T          b                =                  R                                    N              b                        +                                                            N                  p                                ⁢                                  K                  b                                ⁢                                  X                  p                                                                              K                  p                                ⁢                                  X                  b                                                                                        equation (13)            
where Np and Nb are the number of P-pictures and B-pictures remained not yet encoded in the current GROUP OF PICTURES, respectively. Kp and Kb are constants computed on the basis of the ratio of the quantization value of P-picture to the quantization value of I-picture, and the ratio of the quantization parameter of B-picture to the quantization value of I-picture, respectively. When it is assumed that Kp=1.0 and Kb=1.4, the quality of the image can be always optimized.
In the following step A4, it is judged upon whether the picture number variable n is xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or not, i.e., the current picture is the first picture pic(1) or not. When it is judged that the picture number variable n is xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, i.e., the current picture is the first picture pic(1), the step A4 goes forward to the step A5. When, on the other hand, it is judged that the picture number variable n is not xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, i.e., the current picture is not the first picture, the step A4 goes forward to the step A6. In the step A5, the total number of bits available to the pictures to be encoded in the current GROUP OF PICTURES, i.e., the remaining number of bits available to the GROUP OF PICTURES, hereinlater referred to as R, is initialized in accordance with the following equation (14). This remaining number of bits available to the GROUP OF PICTURES R is computed before encoding the first picture pic(1) within the GROUP OF PICTURES, as follows:
R=Targetxe2x80x94Bitratexc3x97NPIC/picturexe2x80x94rate+Rxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (14) 
where NPIC is the total number of pictures of any type in the GROUP OF PICTURES, and picture_rate is expressed in the number of pictures decoded and indicated per second. At the start of the sequence R=0.
In the step A6, the above remaining number of bits available to the GROUP OF PICTURES R is updated before encoding the current picture pic(n) as follows:
R=Rxe2x88x92Sixe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (15) 
or 
R=Rxe2x88x92Spxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (16) 
or 
R=Rxe2x88x92Sbxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (17) 
where Si, Sp, or Sb is the number of bits generated in the previously encoded picture pic(nxe2x88x921) of the corresponding type (I, P or B).
The step A5 or A6 goes forward to the step A7 wherein xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d is assigned to a macroblock number variable j (j greater than =1) representing the serial number of a macroblock within one of the pictures. Hereinlater, the j-th macroblock in the picture is referred to as xe2x80x9cMB(j)xe2x80x9d.
In the following step A8, a utilization volume of the capacity of a virtual buffer for I, P or B-pictures, referred to as di(j), dp(j) or db(j), is computed before encoding the macroblock MB(j) as follows:                                                         d              i                        ⁡                          (              j              )                                =                                                    d                i                            ⁡                              (                0                )                                      +                          B              ⁡                              (                                  j                  -                  1                                )                                      -                                                            T                  i                                xc3x97                                  (                                      j                    -                    1                                    )                                            NMB                                      ⁢                  
                ⁢        or                            equation (18)                                                                    d              p                        ⁡                          (              j              )                                =                                                    d                p                            ⁡                              (                0                )                                      +                          B              ⁡                              (                                  j                  -                  1                                )                                      -                                                            T                  p                                xc3x97                                  (                                      j                    -                    1                                    )                                            NMB                                      ⁢                  
                ⁢        or                            equation (19)                                                      d            b                    ⁡                      (            j            )                          =                                            d              b                        ⁡                          (              0              )                                +                      B            ⁡                          (                              j                -                1                            )                                -                                                    T                b                            xc3x97                              (                                  j                  -                  1                                )                                      NMB                                              equation (20)            
where B(j-1) is the total number of bits generated for encoded macroblocks in the picture up to and including the U-l)th macroblock MB(j-1). NMB is the total number of macroblocks in the picture. di(j), dp(j), or db(j) is the utilization volume of the capacity of the virtual buffer at the j-th macroblock MB(j) for I, P, or B-picture.
di(0), dp(0), or db(0) is the initial utilization volume of the virtual buffer for I, P, or B-picture and given by:
di(0)=10xc3x97r/31xe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (21) 
or 
dp(0)=Kpxc3x97di(0)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (22) 
or 
db(0)=Kbxc3x97di(0)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (23) 
where r is referred to as xe2x80x9creaction parameterxe2x80x9d and used for the control of a reaction rate of the feed back loop as follows:
R=2xc3x97Targetxe2x80x94Bitrate/picturexe2x80x94ratexe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (24) 
The final utilization volume of the virtual buffer, referred to as, di(NMB), dp(NMB), or db(NMB) of the last macroblock, i.e., NMB-th macroblock MB(NMB) of the current picture pic(n) will be used as the initial utilization volume of the virtual buffer for I, P, or B-picture, i.e., di(0), dp(0), or db(0) of the same type to encode the first macroblock MB(1) within the next picture pic(n+1).
In the following step A9, the reference quantization parameter Q(j) of the j-th macroblock MB(j) for each of the pictures is computed on the basis of the aforesaid utilization volume of the virtual buffer, i.e., d(j) as follows:
Q(j)=d(j)xc3x9731/rxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (25) 
Here, the reference quantization parameter Q(j) is identical with the aforesaid second quantization parameter Q2 of the j-th macroblock MB(j).
In the following step A10, the j-th macroblock MB(j) is quantized with the reference quantization parameter Q(j) computed in the step A9. In the following step A11, the macroblock number variable j is incremented by one. The step A11 goes forward to the step A12 wherein it is judged upon whether the macroblock number variable j is more than the total number of macroblocks NMB within the n-th picture pic(n) or not. When it is judged that the macroblock number variable j is not more than the total number of macroblocks NMB within the n-th picture pic(n), the step A12 returns to the step A8. When, on the other hand, it is judged that the macroblock number variable j is more than the total number of macroblocks NMB within the n-th picture pic(n), the step A12 goes forward to the step A13.
The macroblock number variable j thus serves as a loop counter for repeating the process from the steps A8 to A11 to encode all the macroblocks from the 1st macroblock MB(1) up to the j-th macroblock MB(j) in the present picture pic(n). The entire macroblocks starting from the first macroblock MB(1) up to the NMB-th macroblock MB(NMB), in the n-th picture pic(n) can be thus encoded sequentially.
In the step A13, the picture number variable n is incremented by one. Then the step A13 goes forward to the step A14 wherein it is judged upon whether the picture number variable n is more than the total number of pictures, i.e., NPIC or not. When it is judged that the picture number variable n is not more than the total number of pictures, NPIC, the step A14 to the step A2. When, on the other hand, it is judged that the picture number variable n is more than the total number of pictures, NPIC, this routine of the rate controlling process is terminated. The picture number variable n thus serves as a loop counter for repeating the process from steps A2 to A13 to process all the pictures from the first picture pic(1) to the n-th picture pic(n) in the present GROUP OF PICTURES. The entire pictures starting from the first picture pic(1) up to the NPIC-th picture pic(NPIC), in the present GROUP OF PICTURES can be therefore processed sequentially.
The aforesaid conventional transcoder 50, however, has no information on the structure of GROUP OF PICTURES such as a picture cycle of I or P-pictures within each of the GROUP OF PICTURES, so that the transcoder 50 must estimate the structure of GROUP OF PICTURES within the inputted moving picture sequence to allocate the number of bits to pictures of each type within the estimated structure of GROUP OF PICTURES.
Furthermore, the first conventional transcoder 50 is required to decode the first bits streams b1 almost all over the layers such as the sequence layer, the GROUP OF PICTURES layer, the picture layer, the slice layer and the macroblock layer in order to derive necessary data for transcoding the first bits streams b1 into the second bit streams b2. The operation takes time, thereby causing the delay in the transcoding process.
Referring to FIG. 20 of the drawings, there is shown an improvement of the above transcoder 50 as a second conventional transcoder 60. The second conventional transcoder 60 is adapted to perform the rate control without estimating the structure of GROUP OF PICTURES. As shown in FIG. 20, the second conventional transcoder 60 comprises a delay circuit 61 and a rate controller 62 in addition to the variable length decoder 51, the inverse quantizer 53, the quantizer 55 and the variable length encoder 57 same as those of the first conventional transcoder 50 shown in FIG. 18. The same constitutional elements are simply represented by the same reference numerals as those of the conventional transcoder 50, and will be thus omitted from description for avoiding tedious repetition.
The delay circuit 61 is interposed between the variable length decoder 51 and the inverse quantizer 53 and designed to control the flow of the signal from the variable length decoder 51 to the inverse quantizer 53. The delay circuit 61 is operated to delay the operation start time of the inverse quantizer 53 so that the inverse quantizer 53 does not start the de-quantizing process until the variable length decoder 51 terminates the process of decoding one of the pictures in the coded moving picture sequence signal.
As shown in FIG. 20, the rate controller 62 of the second conventional transcoder 60 includes a target ratio computing unit 63, an input bit summing unit 65, a bit difference computing unit 67, a target output bit updating unit 69, and a quantization parameter computing unit 71.
The target ratio computing unit 63 is electrically connected to the variable length decoder 51 and designed to input an input bit rate of the first bit streams b1, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cInput_Bitratexe2x80x9d, from the variable length decoder 51, and input a target bit rate, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cTarget_Bitratexe2x80x9d through a terminal a3. Alternatively, the target bit rate Target_Bitrate may have been stored in an internal memory, or determined on the basis of internal switches. The target ratio computing unit 63 is designed to then compute a target ratio, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cioRatioxe2x80x9d of the target bit rate Target_Bitrate to the input bit rate Input_Bitrate for each of pictures as follows.                               io          ⁢                      xe2x80x83                    ⁢          Ratio                =                  Target_Bitrate          Input_Bitrate                                    equation (26)            
The input bit summing unit 65 is designed to sum up the number of inputting bits of the picture decoded by the variable length decoder 51 to produce the total number of inputting bits, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cTinxe2x80x9d. On the other hand, the target output bit updating unit 69 is designed to compute a target number of outputting bits to be generated by the variable length encoder 57, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cToutxe2x80x9d. The target number of outputting bits Tout is computed by multiplying the total number of inputting bits Tin by the target ratio ioRatio as follows:
Tout=Tinxc3x97ioRatioxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (27) 
The bit difference computing unit 67 is electrically connected to the variable length encoder 57 and the target output bit updating unit 69, and designed to input a real number of outputting bits encoded by the variable length encoder 57, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cTrealxe2x80x9d, and input the target number of outputting bits Tout. The bit difference computing unit 67 is designed to then compute a difference between the target number of outputting bits Tout and the real number of outputting bits Treal, hereinlater referred to as a xe2x80x9cdifference number of bitsxe2x80x9d, i.e., xe2x80x9cTdiffxe2x80x9d as follows:
Tdiff=Trealxe2x88x92Toutxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (28) 
The target output bit updating unit 69 is electrically connected to the target ratio computing unit 63, the input bit summing unit 65, and the bit difference computing unit 67. The target output bit updating unit 69 is designed to update the target number of outputting bits Tout on the basis of the difference number of bits Tdiff as follows:
Tout=Toutxe2x88x92Tdiffxe2x80x83xe2x80x83equation (29) 
The quantization parameter computing unit 71 is electrically connected to the target output bit updating unit 69 and designed to compute the reference quantization parameter Q(j) for each of macroblocks MB(j) on the basis of the target outputting bits Tout updated by the target output bit updating unit 69 in accordance with the step II of the TM-5.
FIG. 21 shows the flowchart of the rate controlling process performed by the above conventional transcoder 60. The rate controlling process in the transcoder 60 comprises the steps B1 to B13. The steps B6 to B13 are the almost same as those of the steps A7 to A14, respectively, in the rate controlling process shown in FIG. 19 except for the step B7 wherein the utilization volume of the capacity of the virtual buffer is computed on the basis of the target number of outputting bits Tout given by the target output bit updating unit 69 instead of the target number of bits Ti, Tp or Tb computed in the step A3 shown in FIG. 19. The same steps will be thus omitted from description for avoiding tedious repetition.
In the step B1, xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d is assigned to the picture number variable n. The step B1 then goes forward to the step B2 wherein the target ratio ioRatio is computed by the above equation (26). In the following step B3, the difference number of bits Tdiff is computed for the present picture pic(n) by the above equation (28). The step B3 then goes forward to the step B4 wherein the number of inputting bits Tin is summed up within the first bit streams by. In the step B5, the target number of outputting bits Tout is computed by the above equation (27), and further updated by the above equation (29).
In the second conventional transcoder 60 thus constructed, the inverse quantizer 53, however, cannot start the de-quantization process until the target transcoding frame is completely decoded, thereby causing the delay in the transcoding process.
Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23 of the drawings, there is shown another improvement of the above transcoder 50 as a third conventional transcoder 80. The third conventional transcoder 80 is also adaptable to perform the rate control without estimating the structure of GROUP OF PICTURES. As shown in FIG. 22, the third conventional transcoder 80 comprises an input terminal a1 electrically connected to a first transmitting path and designed to input an input bit streams b3 at the input bit rate, and an output terminal a2 electrically connected to a second transmitting path and designed to output an output bit streams b4 at the target bit rate. In the third conventional transcoder 80, the input bit streams b3 have a format, non-adaptable for the MPEG-2, different from that of the bit streams b, of the first and second conventional transcoders 50 and 60. The input bit streams b3 have information on the number of coding bits previously recorded thereon by the encoder, not shown.
The third conventional transcoder 80 comprises a variable length decoder 81 electrically connected to the input terminal a1, and a rate controller 82 in addition to the inverse quantizer 53, the quantizer 55, and the variable length encoder 57 which are same as those of the second transcoder 60 shown in FIG. 20. The rate controller 82 includes a target output bit updating unit 83, and a quantization parameter computing unit 85 in addition to the target ratio computing unit 63, and the bit difference computing unit 67 which are same as those of the second transcoder 60 shown in FIG. 20.
The third conventional transcoder 80 thus constructed can perform the rate control on the basis of the formation on the number of coding bits previously recorded in the input bit streams b3. The variable length decoder 81 is adapted to decode the coded moving picture sequence signal within the third bit streams b3 to reconstruct the pictures and the information on the number of coding bits, and transmit the information to the inverse quantizer 53. The variable length decoder 81 is also adapted to transmit the number of inputting bits T1, to the target output bit updating unit 83.
The outputting bit updating unit 83 is designed to compute the target number of outputting bits Tout on the basis of the number of inputting bits Tin and the target ratio ioRatio by the above equation (26). The quantization parameter computing unit 85 is designed to compute the reference quantization parameter Q(j) of the macroblocks MB(j) for each of pictures on the basis of the target number of outputting bits Tout updated by the outputting bit updating unit 83 in accordance with the step II in the TM-5. The quantizer 55 is then operated to quantize the j-th macroblock MB(j) on the basis of the reference quantization parameter Q(j) given by the quantization parameter computing unit 85.
FIG. 23 shows the flowchart of the rate controlling process performed by the above third conventional transcoder 80. The rate controlling process in the transcoder 80 comprises the steps C1 to C13. All the steps C1 to C13 are the same as those of the steps B1 to B13, respectively, in the rate controlling process shown in FIG. 21 except for the step C4 wherein the number of inputting bits Tin in the current picture pic(n) is derived from the third bit streams b3 by the decoder 81 to compute the total number of inputting bits Tin.
The third conventional transcoder 80 thus constructed has information on the number of coding bits previously recorded in the third bits streams b3 thereby making it possible to solve the problem of the delay in the second conventional transcoder 60. The third conventional transcoder 80, however, has another problem to restrict the form of the inputted bit streams. Moreover, the encoder which is linked with the third transcoder 80 must provide with the above information on the number of coding bits to be recorded in the bit streams, thereby causing the delay of process in the encoder.
In any one of the conventional transcoders 50, 60 and 80, the matrix of the de-quantization coefficients dequant is necessary for only the quantizer 55, but unnecessary for the transcoder itself to generate the desired bit streams. In order to eliminate the redundant matrix of the de-quantization coefficients dequant, there is proposed a fourth conventional transcoder 90 comprising a level converter 91 instead of the inverse quantizer 53 and the quantizer 55 of the transcoder 50, as shown in FIG. 26.
The level converter 91 is interposed between the variable length decoder 51 and the variable length encoder 57. The level converter 91 is designed to input the original picture data for each of pictures. The original picture data includes a matrix of original quantization coefficients level for each of macroblocks within the corresponding picture. The level converter 91 is electrically connected to the rate controller 59 and designed to input the second quantization parameter Q2 from the rate controller 59.
The level converter 91 is further designed to convert the original picture data for each of pictures including the matrix of original quantization coefficients level into the objective picture data including the matrix of re-quantization coefficients tlevel without generating the matrix of the de-quantization coefficients dequant. The following equations (30) and (31) for the matrix of re-quantization coefficients tlevel are lead by eliminating the matrix of the de-quantization coefficients dequant from the above equations (1), (2), (3) and (4).                               t          ⁢                      xe2x80x83                    ⁢          level                =                  {                                    (                              level                +                                                      sign                    ⁡                                          (                      level                      )                                                        xc3x97                                      1                    2                                                              }                        xc3x97                                          Q                1                                            Q                2                                      ⁢                          
                        ⁢            or                                              equation (30)                                          t          ⁢                      xe2x80x83                    ⁢          level                =                              level            xc3x97                                          Q                1                                            Q                2                                              +                                    sign              ⁡                              (                level                )                                      2                                              equation (31)            
where the above equation (30) is used for the inter macroblock, while the above equation (31) is used for the intra macroblock. The level converter 91 is thus operable to convert the original picture data, for each of pictures, into the second picture data with the first quantization parameter Q1 and the second quantization parameter Q2. The first quantization parameter Q1 is decoded from the first bit streams b, by the variable length decoder 51, while the second quantization parameter Q2 is obtained from the rate controller 59.
In the fourth conventional transcoder 90, the rate controller 59 is designed to perform the rate control over the encoding process in the transcoder 90 according to the TM-5. The variable length encoder 57 is electrically connected to the level converter 91 and to input the above matrix of re-quantization coefficients tlevel from the level converter 91.
The fourth conventional transcoder 90 thus constructed can efficiently perform the transcoding process at high speed without storing the matrix of de-quantization coefficients dequant in a memory.
The above conventional transcoders 50, 60, 80 and 90, however, has another problem with the rate-distortion performance in converting the quantization level. The detailed description of this problem will be made later. In short, the rate-distortion performance in converting the quantization level is unstable and variable in accordance with the first and second quantization parameters and the level of the original quantization coefficients level. Therefore, as the reduced information volume becomes larger, the quantization error is liable to increase, thereby causing the unstable rate control in transcoding.
The applicant of the present application filed patent applications No. H11-278867 and No. H11-327384.
The applicant disclosed apparatus, a method and a computer program product for transcoding a coded moving picture sequence, being operable to compute the optimized quantization parameter on the basis of the de-quantization parameter and the previously computed quantization parameter in consideration of the characteristic of the rate-distortion performance dependent on the quantization parameter and the de-quantization parameter in the patent application No. H11-278867.
The transcoder disclosed in the aforesaid patent application No. H11-278867, comprising the inverse quantizer for performing the inverse-quantization operation and the quantizer for performing the quantization operation, is characterized in that the transcoder further comprises quantization parameter switching means for switching the quantization parameter in consideration of the characteristic of the rate-distortion performance dependent on the inputted quantization parameter, thereby making it possible for the transcoder to minimize the quantization error occurred when the matrix of original quantization coefficients is transformed to the matrix of re-quantization coefficients.
The applicant further disclosed apparatus, a method and a computer program product for transcoding a coded moving picture sequence, being operable to control the number of reduction-object bits in accordance with the size of the quantization parameter obtained from the input bit streams in consideration of the number of reduction-object bits and the quantization error during the re-quantization operation in the transcoder, thereby enabling to minimize the quantization error occurred as a result of the re-quantization operation within the transcoder in the patent application No. H11-327384.
The transcoder disclosed in the aforesaid patent application No. H11-327384, comprises: target reduction bit number computing means for computing the average number of reduction-object bits regarded as target number of reduction-object bits; target bit number computing means for computing the target number of bits on the basis of the average number of bits reduced in the input quantization parameter and the number of bits in the DCT coefficients; and quantization scaling factor computing means for specifying the quantization parameter on the basis of the target number of bits computed by the target bit number computing means. The thus constructed transcoder can minimize the quantization error occurred as a result of the re-quantization operation in the transcoder. Here, bit number is xe2x80x9cthe number of bitsxe2x80x9d.
It is, however, unthinkable to deliver information having only video contents when information delivery is done as part of business service. Most information would be delivered in the form of multiplexed multimedia streams, i.e., MPEG-2 system bit streams, having data information such as video, audio and program information. An apparatus operative to convert a bit rate for the MPEG-2 system bit steams, is therefore required.
The present invention provides a MPEG-2 system stream transcoder for the MPEG-2 system streams. FIG. 24 shows renderings of an environment in which the present invention is utilized.
Conventional MPEG-2 transport stream rate converters in combination of the prior arts and their problems will be epitomized before describing the present invention in detail.
As shown in FIG. 25, an apparatus 900 is a simple combination of a MPEG-2 transport stream decoder 910 and a MPEG-2 transport stream encoder 930. The MPEG-2 transport stream decoder 910 comprises a transport stream demultiplexer 911, a video decoder 913, an audio decoder 915, a system information decoder 917, and a data dedicated decoder 919. The MPEG-2 transport stream encoder 930 comprises a transport stream multiplexer 931, a video encoder 933, an audio encoder 935, a system information encoder 937, and a data dedicated encoder 939.
The apparatus 900 can output MPEG-2 transport streams at a target output bit rate. The apparatus 900, however, has another problems resulted from the fact that the video decoder and the video encoder are simply combined. The problems are as follows.
(1) Amount of process is increased.
The apparatus 900 must perform a series of operations, i.e., decode all the inputted bit streams into pictures, and then encode the decoded pictures into appropriate target bit streams. The process of decoding and encoding all the inputted bit streams is time consuming.
(2) Quality of pictures is deteriorated.
Once the decoder decodes the inputted bit streams into the pictures, the thus decoded pictures does not contain original structure information elements of the inputted bit streams such as the structure of GROUP OF PICTURES and the picture types any more. As a result, the encoder must encode the decoded pictures into the target bit streams having structure information elements different from the original structure information elements. The B-picture, which is not recurrently referred to, has information volume less than the I-picture and the P-picture, which are recurrently referred to so that the quality of pictures as a whole is improved. On the other hand, the B-picture in a frame of the inputted bit streams, for instance, is encoded as the I-picture in the target bit streams, thereby causing the quality of pictures to be deteriorated.
(3) Frame realignment causes delay.
Once the decoder decodes the inputted bit streams having the B-pictures into the pictures, the frame sequence in the inputted bits streams is changed in the pictures. As a result, the encoder must realign the frame sequence to encode the decoded pictures into the target bit streams, thereby causing delay. Bit streams in the form of xe2x80x9cM=3xe2x80x9d type, for instance, cause the delay of three frames to decode the I-picture and the P-picture before the B-picture to realign the frame sequence while being decoded into the pictures, and the thus decoded pictures cause the delay of another three frames to encode the I-picture and P-picture before the B-picture to realign the frame sequence while being encoded again. (Here, xe2x80x9cMxe2x80x9d stands for a cycle of the appearance of the I-picture of the B-picture. xe2x80x9cM=2xe2x80x9d means that one B-picture is inserted between the I-picture or the B-picture while xe2x80x9cM=3xe2x80x9d means that two B-pictures are inserted between the I-picture or the B-picture. Bit streams are generally in the form of xe2x80x9cM=3xe2x80x9d type.) Totally, the delay of six frames is generated in the apparatus 900.
In order to solve the aforesaid problems, a rate converter 600 includes a MPEG-2 transport stream demultiplexer, a MPEG-2 video transcoder, and a MPEG-2 multiplexer.
The rate converter 600 is shown in FIG. 1 as comprising a MPEG-2 transport stream demultiplexer 610, a MPEG-2 multiplexer 620, a MPEG-2 video transcoder 640, and a system controller 650.
The rate converter 600 has a MPEG-2 video transcoder interposed between a video bit stream decoder and a video bit stream encoder (see FIG. 25) to ensure that the problems (1) to (3) are solved with respect to the apparatus 900 of the simple combination of the MPEG-2 transport stream decoder and the MPEG-2 transport stream encoder.
The audio decoder, the audio encoder, the data dedicated decoder, and the data dedicated encoder are not provided in the rate converter 600, which is operated through a method comprising the steps of:
a) inputting MPEG-2 transport streams;
b) demultiplexing the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams into video bit streams and other bit streams such as audio, system information and data bit streams;
c) compressing only the video bit streams, which has extremely large information volume;
d) modifying just part of fixed codes of the other bit streams if necessary;
e) multiplexing the compressed video bit streams, and the partly modified other bit streams into output MPEG-2 transport streams; and
f) outputting the output MPEG-2 transport streams.
The system controller 650 is operated, instead of the system information decoder 917 and the system information encoder 937 of the apparatus 900, to modify part of fixed codes of the system information bit streams and replace the thus partly modified system information bit streams with the original system information bit streams.
The rate converter 600, however, encounters additional problems as follows.
(1) The bit rate of output MPEG-2 video bit streams is, basically, computed on the basis of the bit rate of output MPEG-2 transport streams. The output MPEG-2 transport streams, however, contain other bit streams such as audio bit streams and control information bit streams, in addition to the video bit streams. Furthermore, bits such as header information bits are generated as a result of packetizing elementary streams and transport streams. The bits thus generated are added to the output MPEG-2 transport streams. It is therefore difficult to compute the bit rate of output video bit streams.
(2) The rate converter 600 is not applicable to the output bit rate control for video bit streams in the variable bit rate format.
The video bit streams contained in the MPEG-2 transport streams are assumed to be in the variable bit rate (VBR) format. On the other hand, a CBR rate control method used by a conventional video bit stream transcoder, for controlling output bit rate of video bit streams in the constant bit rate (CBR) format on the basis of input bit rate as a parameter, or on the basis of the numbers of bits and pictures to be encoded in GOP, and the picture types is not applicable to video bit streams in the VBR format.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is proposed to an apparatus, a method and a computer program product for transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence for MPEG-2 system bit streams, which enable to completely synchronize audio and video bit streams between input and output MPEG-2 transport steams on the basis of synchronous information element contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams; and establish a rate control method for controlling output bit rate of video bit streams in the variable bit rate, i.e., VBR format.
To be solved by the transcoder according to the present invention are problems of:
(1) completely synchronizing audio and video bit streams between input and output MPEG-2 transport steams on the basis of synchronous information element contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams; and
(2) establishing a rate control method for controlling output bit rate of video bit streams in the variable bit rate, i.e., VBR format.
Required to solve the problem (1) are three conditions as follows: Condition (1): Time stamp (PCR) contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams must be set to a value in a certain range, for instance, to the initial value of the input MPEG-2 transport streams, so that the output MPEG-2 transport streams do not cause the breakdown of a MPEG-2 decoder buffer when the output MPEG-2 transport streams are inputted to the MPEG-2 decoder.
Condition (2): A video frame of video bit streams and an audio frame of audio bit streams contained in input MPEG-2 transport streams must share the same PTSs and DTSs with the same video frame of the video bit streams and the same audio frame of the audio bit streams contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams.
Condition (3): Bit streams constituting a video frame and an audio frame contained in the output MPEG-2 transport streams arrive at the decoder at the same time at which bit streams constituting the same video frame and the same audio frame contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams are supposed to arrive at the decoder.
Provided that only the video bit streams are to be compressed to achieve the target bit rate, the means to solve the aforesaid problems will be described hereinlater.
Condition (1) will be satisfied by a method comprising the steps of:
(a) decoding a first PCR contained in the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams;
(b) computing a value of system time clock, i.e., reference synchronous information element for decoding process, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cSTCxe2x80x9d, of the first byte of the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams on the basis of the decoded first PCR, the total number of bytes of the MPEG-2 transport streams inputted into the rate converter, and an input bit rate; and
(c) matching the thus computed value of STC of the first byte of the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams with the value of STC of the first byte of the outputting MPEG-2 transport streams.
Condition (2) will be satisfied by a method comprising the steps of: (a)
demultiplexing the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams into video transport streams and the other bit streams; (b) decoding the video transport streams into video packetized elementary streams; (c) decoding the video packetized elementary streams into video elementary streams and the corresponding PTS and DTS; (d) storing the PTS and the DTS in a memory unit; and (e) encoding video elementary streams and the corresponding PTS and the DTS to generate video packetized elementary streams. Audio bit streams in the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams remain the same in the outputted MPEG-2 transport streams. Accordingly, PTS of the audio bit streams in the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams remains the same in the outputted MPEG-2 transport streams.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a relationship between the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams and the outputted MPEG-2 transport streams, which satisfies the condition (3). Transport stream packets to be reduced, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9creduction-object transport stream packetsxe2x80x9d, contained in the outputted MPEG-2 transport streams are reduced to one third of that of the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams and accordingly, the bit rate of the outputted MPEG-2 transport streams is reduced to the half of that of the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams. This means that the transport stream packets to be not reduced, for instance, the bit streams constituting an audio frame are placed and interposed between the reduction-object transport stream packets, for instance, the bit streams constituting a video frame in accordance with a ratio of output bit rate to input bit rate, thereby making it possible that the bit streams constituting a video frame and an audio frame contained in the output MPEG-2 transport streams arrives at the decoder at the same time at which the bit streams constituting the same video frame and the same audio frame contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams are supposed to arrive at. For avoiding tedious repetition, transport stream packets will be referred to as TS packets, hereinlater.
Here, reduction-object TS packets are all the TS packets excluding two types of packets consisting of transport packets including video bit streams contained in the inputted MPEG-2 transport stream, and TS packets apt to change in accordance with the control state in the system such as PAT and PMT, which will be described hereinlater.
Furthermore, another conditions must be satisfied to reduce the number of bits of the reduction-object video bit streams to decrease the bit rate.
FIG. 4 shows examples of the transition of utilization volume of a Video Buffering Verifier buffer, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cVBV bufferxe2x80x9d (Video Buffering Verifier: a parameter indicative of the size of the virtual buffer used for controlling the number of generated bits) and DTS (Decoding Time Stamp: decoding time management information) while the bit rate of video bit streams contained in the outputted MPEG-2 transport streams is reduced to the half of that of video bit streams contained in the inputted MPEG-2 transport streams in the case of (a) and the case of (b).
In the case of (a), the number of bits of I-pictures are not reduced while the number of bits of P-pictures and B-pictures are reduced. In the case of (b), on the other hand, I-pictures, P-pictures, and B-pictures are evenly reduced. This means that the ratio of I-pictures, P-pictures, and B-pictures in the input video bit streams remains the same as that in the output video bit streams.
In FIG. 4, the upper graph shows the transition of the video elementary streams contained in the inputted bit streams before the transcoding process, and the lower graph shows the transition of the video elementary streams contained in the outputted bit streams after the transcoding process. xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d indicates the size of a receiving buffer, xe2x80x9cB(n)*xe2x80x9d indicates the VBV buffer utilization volume just before the n-th picture is decoded, and xe2x80x9cB(n)xe2x80x9d indicates the VBV buffer utilization volume just after the n-th picture is decoded and the number of bits for the size of one frame is removed from the buffer. The VBV buffer utilization volume must fluctuate in a range of 0 and B. The slope of a line segment indicates a bit rate.
The receiving buffer waits until the time indicated by DTS, and starts decoding a frame consisting of input video elementary streams when the time indicated by DTS elapses. On the other hand, the receiving buffer waits until the time indicated by DTSxe2x80x2, and start decoding the frame consisting of the output video elementary streams when the time indicated by DTSxe2x80x2 elapses.
In the case of (a), DTSxe2x80x2 is greater than DTS. This means that some of the video elementary streams constituting the frame may not arrive at the MPEG-2 transport stream decoder until the time indicated by the DTS, thereby failing to meet the condition (3). In other words, the output video elementary streams cannot have the DTS of the input video elementary streams as start time of decoding the frame consisting of the video elementary streams so as to meet the condition (2).
In the case of (b), DTSxe2x80x2 is equal to DTS. This means that all of the video elementary streams constituting the frame will arrive at the MPEG-2 transport stream decoder until the time indicated by the DTS, thereby making it possible to start decoding the frame at the time indicated by the DTS, and meet the condition (3). Therefore, the rate control method must satisfy the condition of DTSxe2x80x2=DTS so as to reduce the number of bits of the video bit streams to reduce the bit rate.
A rate control method to solve the problem (2) will be described hereinlater.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram describing the concept of the rate control method for controlling output bit rate of the video bit streams in the VBR format performed during the transcoding process. In FIG. 5, the input MPEG-2 transport streams at an input bit rate is converted into the output MPEG-2 transport streams at the target bit rate, which is the half of the input bit rate.
Each of the MPEG-2 transport stream consists of packets of 188 bytes. The number of packets to be inputted at time interval of a predetermined duration is always the same. This means that the number of packets inputted at time interval of a predetermined duration can be computed on the basis of the product of the input bit rate and the predetermined time. This leads to the fact that a target number of packets to be outputted at time interval of the predetermined duration can be computed in the similar manner to the number of packets to be inputted.
Furthermore, the number of video transport streams and the number of transport streams to be not reduced, hereinlater referred to as xe2x80x9cnon-reduction transport streamsxe2x80x9d, contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams can be computed on the basis of information acquired when the input MPEG-2 transport steams are demultiplexed. Provided that the non-reduction transport streams are not to be compressed, the target number of output video transport stream packets at time interval of a predetermined duration (n) can be computed by subtraction of the number of packets of the non-reduction transport streams and the number of PAT and PMT packets to be outputted at time interval of the predetermined duration (n) from the target number of total packets to be outputted at time interval of the predetermined duration (n).
As will be understood from the foregoing descriptions, the rate control for controlling output bit rate of video bit streams in the VBR format can be performed basically through the steps of: (a) demultiplexing the MPEG-2 transport streams into video transport streams and other transport streams such as non-reduction transport streams; (b) computing the number of video transport streams and the number of non-reduction transport streams; (c) computing the target bit rate, i.e., the target number of output video transport stream packets to be outputted at time interval of a predetermined duration (n), by subtraction of the number of the non-reduction transport stream packets and the number of the PAT and PMT packets to be outputted at time interval of the predetermined duration (n) from the target number of total packets to be outputted at time interval of the predetermined duration (n); and (d) converting the video transport streams into the output video elementary streams having the target number of the output video transport stream packets, thereby making it possible to control the output bit rate less than the input bit rate.
There is another problem which makes it difficult to determine the target number of output video transport stream packets. While transcoding the MPEG-2 transport streams, video elementary streams are converted to PES (PES: Packetized Elementary Stream) packets and TS (TS: Transport Stream) packet, new packet headers are generated and attached to the PES packets and TS packets, thereby causing overhead. The exact number of packet headers thus newly generated, however, cannot be estimated beforehand. The target bit number of output video elementary streams to be outputted at time interval of the predetermined duration (n), therefore, is determined through the steps of: (a) computing the overhead generated through the process of converting the video elementary streams to PES packets and TS packets prior to the time interval of the predetermined duration (nxe2x88x921); and (b) computing the target bit number of the output video elementary streams at time interval of the predetermined duration (n) in consideration of the overhead computed in the step (a).
The above described rate control method will satisfy the condition (3) of the problem (1).
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which sets the time stamp (PCR) contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams to a value in a certain range, for instance, to the initial value of the input MPEG-2 transport streams, so that the output MPEG-2 transport streams do not cause the breakdown of a MPEG-2 decoder buffer when the output MPEG-2 transport streams are inputted to the MPEG-2 decoder.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which makes it possible for a video frame of video bit streams and an audio frame of audio bit streams contained in input MPEG-2 transport streams to share the same PTSs and DTSs with the same video frame of the video bit streams and the same audio frame of the audio bit streams contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which makes it possible for bit streams constituting a video frame and an audio frame contained in the output MPEG-2 transport streams to arrive at the decoder at the same time at which bit streams constituting the same video frame and the same audio frame contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams are supposed to arrive at.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which sets the time stamp (PCR) contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams to a value in a certain range, for instance, to the initial value of the input MPEG-2 transport streams, so that the output MPEG-2 transport streams do not cause the breakdown of a MPEG-2 decoder buffer when the output MPEG-2 transport streams are inputted to the MPEG-2 decoder.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which makes it possible for a video frame of video bit streams and an audio frame of audio bit streams contained in input MPEG-2 transport streams to share the same PTSs and DTSs with the same video frame of the video bit streams and the same audio frame of the audio bit streams contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which makes it possible for bit streams constituting a video frame and an audio frame contained in the output MPEG-2 transport streams to arrive at the decoder at the same time at which bit streams constituting the same video frame and the same audio frame contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams are supposed to arrive at.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a computer program for transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which sets the time stamp (PCR) contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams to a value in a certain range, for instance, to the initial value of the input MPEG-2 transport streams, so that the output MPEG-2 transport streams do not cause the breakdown of a MPEG-2 decoder buffer when the output MPEG-2 transport streams are inputted to the MPEG-2 decoder.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a computer program for transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which makes it possible for a video frame of video bit streams and an audio frame of audio bit streams contained in input MPEG-2 transport streams to share the same PTSs and DTSs with the same video frame of the video bit streams and the same audio frame of the audio bit streams contained in output MPEG-2 transport streams.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a computer program for transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, which makes it possible for bit streams constituting a video frame and an audio frame contained in the output MPEG-2 transport streams to arrive at the decoder at the same time at which bit streams constituting the same video frame and the same audio frame contained in the input MPEG-2 transport streams are supposed to arrive at.
In accordance with a fist aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, comprising the steps of:
(a) inputting a first coded signal through a first transmitting path at an input bit rate;
(b) demultiplexing the first coded signal inputted in the inputting step (a) into one or more first data strings, one or more second data strings, and one or more third data strings, the one or more first data strings each having a number of real inputting bits;
(c) transforming the one or more first data strings demultiplexed in the demultiplexing step (b) into one or more first data strings having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the one or more first data strings, respectively;
(d) multiplexing the one or more transformed first data strings transformed in the transforming step (c), the one or more second data strings demultiplexed in the demultiplexing step (b), and one or more corrected third data strings to generate a second coded signal;
(e) correcting the one or more third data strings demultiplexed in the demultiplexing step (b), on the basis of the first coded signal, in accordance with a change of the second coded signal to generate the one or more corrected third data strings having a number of real inputting bits when the one or more transformed first data strings, the one or more second data, and the one or more corrected third data strings are multiplexed in the multiplexing step (d); and
(f) outputting the second coded signal through a second transmitting path at a target bit rate lower than the input bit rate of the first coded signal.
In the aforesaid method, the inputting step (a) may have the step of (a2) inputting MPEG-2 transport streams. Furthermore, the demultiplexing step (b) may have the step of (b2) demultiplexing the MPEG-2 transport streams inputted in the inputting step (a2) into one or more transport stream packets having a coded video signal having a number of real inputting bits as one or more first data strings. The outputting step (f) may have the step of (f2) outputting MPEG-2 transport streams having a video signal having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the coded video signal.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the inputting step (a) has the step of (a3) inputting coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams. The demultiplexing step (b) may have the step of (b3) demultiplexing the coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams inputted in the inputting step (a3) into one or more transport stream packets having a coded moving picture sequence signal having a number of real inputting bits as the one or more first data strings. Furthermore, the outputting step (f) may have the step of (f3) outputting coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams having a coded moving picture sequence signal having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the coded moving picture sequence signal.
Alternatively, the aforesaid method may further comprise the steps of: (g) computing a value of system clock indicative of a start time of the demultiplexing step (b), on the basis of a first reference time information element contained in the first coded signal; and (h) computing an initial value of the system clock for the second coded signal on the basis of the value of the system clock computed in the computing step (g).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the transforming step (c) may further comprise the steps of: (c51) decoding the one or more transport stream packets having a coded video signal having a number of real inputting bits to reconstruct and output video PES packets; (c52) decoding the video PES packets decoded in the decoding step (c51) to reconstruct and output video elementary streams having a real inputting bits, decoding time management information element DTS and presentation time management information element PTS of the video elementary streams, and PTS_DTS flags indicative of presence of the decoding time management information element DTS and the presentation time management information element PTS; (c53) transforming the video elementary streams decoded and outputted in the decoding step (c52) into video elementary streams having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the video elementary streams; (c54) generating transformed video PES packets on the basis of the transformed video elementary stream transformed in the transforming step (c53), the decoding time management information element DTS, the presentation time management information element PTS and the PTS_DTS flags indicative of presence of the decoding time management information element DTS and the presentation time management information element PTS decoded in the decoding step (c52); and (c55) encoding the transformed video PES packets generated in the generating step (c54) to generate a transformed transport stream packets having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the transport stream packets.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the demultiplexing step (b) may have the step of demultiplexing the first coded signal into transport stream packets having a coded audio signal as the one or more second data strings.
Alternatively, the demultiplexing step (b) may have the step of (b71) demultiplexing MPEG-2 transport streams inputted at a predetermined time interval in the inputting step (a) into the one or more first data strings, the one or more second data strings, and the one or more third data strings, each having a number of real inputting bits. The transforming step (c) may comprise the steps of: (c71) decoding the one or more first data strings to reconstruct video elementary streams having a number of real inputting bits and other information elementary streams, and separating the video elementary streams from the other information elementary streams; (c72) transforming the video elementary streams reconstructed and separated in the decoding step (c71) to generate output video elementary streams having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the video elementary streams; and (c73) generating one or more transformed first data strings having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the one or more first data strings demultiplexed in the demultiplexing step (b71) on the basis of the output video elementary streams generated in the transforming step (c72) and the other information elementary steams reconstructed and separated in the decoding step (c71). Also, the multiplexing step (d) may have the step of (d71) multiplexing the one or more transformed first data strings generated in the generating step (c73), the one or more second data strings demultiplexed in the demultiplexing step (b71), and the one or more corrected third data strings corrected in the correcting step (e) to generate a second coded signal to be outputted at the predetermined time interval.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the transforming step (c) may comprise the steps of: (c81) assuming that a number of real outputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval is equal to a number of real inputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the first coded signal at the predetermined time interval; (c82) assuming that a number of real inputting bits of the one or more third data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval is equal to the number of real inputting bits of the one or more corrected third data strings generated in the correcting step at the predetermined time interval (e); (c83) subtracting the number of real inputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the first coded signal at the predetermined time interval and the number of real inputting bits of the one or more third data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval from a target number of outputting bits of all data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval to generate a value A; (c84) subtracting a total number of real outputting bits of one or more transformed first data strings generated in the generating step (c73) prior to the predetermined time interval from a total target number of outputting bits of one or more transformed first data strings generated in the generating step (c73) prior to the predetermined time interval to generate a value B; and (c85) computing a target number of outputting bits of the transformed first data strings generated at the predetermined time interval in the generating step (c73) by adding the value A and the value B.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the transforming step (c72) comprises the steps of: (c91) computing a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams on the basis of outputting bits of the second coded signal able to be outputted at the predetermined time interval; (c92) computing a reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits on the basis of the target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed in the computing step (c91) and the real inputting bits of the video elementary streams reconstructed in the decoding step (c71); and (c93) computing a quantization scaling factor required for transforming the video elementary streams to generate the output video elementary streams, on the basis of the reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits computed in the computing step (c92).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the computing step (c91) comprises the steps of: (c101) computing a ratio of a total number of real outputting bits of the first one or more transformed data strings generated in the generating step (c73) prior to the predetermined time interval to a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams prior to the predetermined time interval; and (c102) computing a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams at the predetermined time interval on the basis of the ratio computed in the computing step (c101), and the computing step (c92) has the step of (c103) computing a reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits on the basis of the target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed in the computing step (c102) and the real inputting bits of the video elementary streams decoded in the decoding step (c71).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the transforming step (c) comprises the steps of: (c1101) computing a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams generated in the transforming step (c72); (c1102) computing a sum of a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams at the predetermined time interval and a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams which have been generated until the time when video elementary streams inputted prior to the predetermined time interval into a video ES buffer are consumed; (c1103) judging upon whether the total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed in the computing step (c1101) is greater than the sum computed in the computing step (c1102); and (c1104) terminating the transforming step (c) and starting the multiplexing step (d) for processing the one or more transformed first data strings when it is judged that the sum is greater than the total number of real outputting bits in the judging step (c1103).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the multiplexing step (d) may comprise the steps of: computing a difference by subtracting a value of lastly past presentation time management information element PTS of the first coded signal from a value of a synchronous time information element PCR located in a head position of a data string of the one or more second data strings; (d1202) computing a difference between passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the first coded signal and passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the second coded signal; (d1203) judging upon whether the difference computed in the computing step (d1201) is smaller than the difference computed in the computing step (d1202); and (d1204) locating the data string of the one or more second data strings in a rearward position of a data string of the one or more first data strings to be located in a rearward position of the data string of the one or more second data strings when it is judged that the difference computed in the computing step (d1201) is smaller than the difference computed in the computing step (d1202) in the judging step (d1203), and the outputting step (f) has the step of (f1201) outputting the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid method, the multiplexing step (d) may comprise the steps of: (d1301) computing a difference by subtracting a value of a synchronous time information element PCR to be past subsequently in the first coded signal from a value of a presentation time management information element PTS of a just past data string of the one or more second data strings; (d1302) computing a difference between passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the first coded signal and passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the second coded signal; (d1303) judging upon whether the difference computed in the computing step (d1301) is smaller than the difference computed in the computing step (d1302); and (d1304) locating the data string of the one or more second data strings in a forward position of a data string of the one or more first data strings to be located in a forward position of the data string of the one or more second data strings when it is judged that the difference computed in the computing step (d1301) is smaller than the difference computed in the computing step (d1302) in the judging step (d1303), and the outputting step (f) has the step of (f1301) outputting the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus of transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, comprising: inputting means for inputting a first coded signal through a first transmitting path at an input bit rate; demultiplexing means for demultiplexing the first coded signal inputted by the inputting means into one or more first data strings, one or more second data strings, and one or more third data strings, the one or more first data strings each having a number of real inputting bits; transforming means for transforming the one or more first data strings demultiplexed by the demultiplexing means into one or more first data strings having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the one or more first data strings, respectively; multiplexing means for multiplexing the one or more transformed first data strings transformed by the transforming means, the one or more second data strings demultiplexed by the demultiplexing means, and one or more corrected third data strings to generate a second coded signal; correcting means for correcting the one or more third data strings demultiplexed by the demultiplexing means, on the basis of the first coded signal, in accordance with a change of the second coded signal to generate the one or more corrected third data strings having a number of real inputting bits when the one or more transformed first data strings, the one or more second data, and the one or more corrected third data strings are multiplexed by the multiplexing means; and outputting means for outputting the second coded signal through a second transmitting path at a target bit rate lower than the input bit rate of the first coded signal.
In the aforesaid apparatus, the inputting means for inputting a first coded signal through a first transmitting path may be operable to input MPEG-2 transport streams, the demultiplexing means may be operable to demultiplex the MPEG-2 transport streams inputted by the inputting means into one or more transport stream packets having a coded video signal having a number of real inputting bits as one or more first data strings, and the outputting means may be operable to output MPEG-2 transport streams having a video signal having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the coded video signal.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, the inputting means for inputting a first coded signal through a first transmitting path is operable to input coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams, the demultiplexing means is operable to demultiplex the coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams inputted by the inputting means into one or more transport stream packets having a coded moving picture sequence signal having a number of real inputting bits as the one or more first data strings, and the outputting means is operable to output coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams having a coded moving picture sequence signal having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the coded moving picture sequence signal.
Alternatively, the aforesaid apparatus may further comprise reference time setting means for computing a value of system clock indicative of a start time of the demultiplexing means, on the basis of a first reference time information element contained in the first coded signal, and compute an initial value of the system clock for the second coded signal on the basis of the value of the system clock.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus the transforming means may further comprise: a video transport stream packet decoding unit for decoding the one or more transport stream packets having a coded video signal having a number of real inputting bits to reconstruct and output video PES packets; a video PES packet decoding unit for decoding the video PES packets decoded by the video transport stream packet decoding unit to reconstruct and output video elementary streams having a real inputting bits, decoding time management information element DTS and presentation time management information element PTS of the video elementary streams, and PTS_DTS flags indicative of presence of the decoding time management information element DTS and the presentation time management information element PTS; a transforming unit for transforming the video elementary streams decoded and outputted by the video PES packet decoding unit into video elementary streams having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the video elementary streams; a video PES packet generating unit for generating transformed video PES packets on the basis of the transformed video elementary stream transformed by the transforming unit, the decoding time management information element DTS, the presentation time management information element PTS and the PTS_DTS flags indicative of presence of the decoding time management information element DTS and the presentation time management information element PTS decoded by the video PES packet decoding unit; and a video transport stream packet generating unit for encoding the transformed video PES packets generated by the video PES packet generating unit to generate a transformed transport stream packets having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the transport stream packets.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, the demultiplexing means may be operative to demultiplex the first coded signal into transport stream packets having a coded audio signal as the one or more second data strings.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, the demultiplexing means may be operative to demultiplex MPEG-2 transport streams inputted at a predetermined time interval by the inputting means into the one or more first data strings, the one or more second data strings, and the one or more third data strings, each having a number of real inputting bits, and the transforming means may comprise: a video elementary stream decoding unit for decoding the one or more first data strings to reconstruct video elementary streams having a number of real inputting bits and other information elementary streams, and separating the video elementary streams from the other information elementary streams; a video elementary stream transforming unit for transforming the video elementary streams reconstructed and separated by the video elementary stream decoding unit to generate output video elementary streams having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the video elementary streams; and a transformed first data string generating unit for generating one or more transformed first data strings having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the one or more first data strings demultiplexed by the demultiplexing means on the basis of the output video elementary streams generated by the video elementary stream transforming unit and the other information elementary steams reconstructed and separated by the video 5 elementary stream decoding unit, whereby the multiplexing means is operable to multiplex the one or more transformed first data strings generated by the transformed first data string generating unit, the one or more second data strings demultiplexed by the demultiplexing means, and the one or more corrected third data strings corrected by the correcting means to generate a second coded signal to be outputted at the predetermined time interval.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus may further comprise a computing unit (A) being operative to: assume that a number of real outputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval is equal to a number of real inputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the first coded signal at the predetermined time interval; assume that a number of real inputting bits of the one or more third data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval is equal to the number of real inputting bits of the one or more corrected third data strings generated by the correcting means at the predetermined time interval; subtract the number of real inputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the first coded signal at the predetermined time interval and the number of real inputting bits of the one or more third data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval from a target number of outputting bits of all data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval to generate a value A; subtract a total number of real outputting bits of one or more transformed first data strings generated by the transformed first data string generating unit prior to the predetermined time interval from a total target number of outputting bits of one or more transformed first data strings generated by the transformed first data string generating unit prior to the predetermined time interval to generate a value B; and compute a target number of outputting bits of the transformed first data strings generated at the predetermined time interval by the transformed first data string generating unit by adding the value A and the value B.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus may comprise: computing unit (B) being operative to compute a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams on the basis of outputting bits of the second coded signal able to be outputted at the predetermined time interval; computing unit (C) being operative to compute a reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits on the basis of the target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed and the real inputting bits of the video elementary streams reconstructed by the video elementary stream decoding unit; and computing unit (D) being operative to compute a quantization scaling factor required for transforming the video elementary streams to generate the output video elementary streams on the basis of the reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, which may further comprise: computing unit (E) being operative to compute a ratio of a total number of real outputting bits of the first one or more transformed data strings generated by the transformed first data string generating unit prior to the predetermined time interval to a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams prior to the predetermined time interval; computing unit (F) being operative to compute a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams at the predetermined time interval on the basis of the ratio computed by the computing unit (E); and computing unit (G) being operative to compute a reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits on the basis of the target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams and the real inputting bits of the video elementary streams decoded by the video elementary stream decoding unit.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, the transforming means may comprise: computing unit (H) being operative to compute a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams generated by the video elementary stream transforming unit; computing unit (I) being operative to compute a sum of a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams at the predetermined time interval and a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams which have been generated until the time when video elementary streams inputted prior to the predetermined time interval into a video ES buffer are consumed; judging unit (A) being operative to judge upon whether the total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed by the computing unit (H) is greater than the sum computed by the computing unit (I); and control unit being operative to terminate the transforming means and starting the multiplexing means for processing the one or more transformed first data strings when it is judged that the sum is greater than the total number of real outputting bits by the judging unit (A).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, the multiplexing means may comprise: computing unit (J) being operative to compute a PTS to PCR difference by subtracting a value of lastly past presentation time management information element PTS of the first coded signal from a value of a synchronous time information element PCR located in a head position of a data string of the one or more second data strings; computing unit (K) being operative to compute a passing time difference between passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the first coded signal and passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the second coded signal; judging unit (B) being operative to judge upon whether the PTS to PCR difference computed by the computing unit (J) is smaller than the passing time difference computed by the computing unit (K); and locating unit (A) being operative to locate the data string of the one or more second data strings in a rearward position of a data string of the one or more first data strings to be located in a rearward position of the data string of the one or more second data strings when it is judged tat the PTS to PCR difference computed by the computing unit (J) is smaller than the passing time difference computed by the computing unit (K) by the judging unit (B), and the outputting means is operative to output the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid apparatus, the multiplexing means may comprise: computing unit (L) being operative to compute a PCR to PTS difference by subtracting a value of a synchronous time information element PCR to be past subsequently in the first coded signal from a value of a presentation time management information element PTS of a just past data string of the one or more second data strings; computing unit (M) being operative to compute a passing time difference between passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the first coded signal and passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the second coded signal; judging unit (C) being operative to judge upon whether the PCR to PTS difference computed by the computing unit (L) is smaller than the passing time difference computed by the computing unit (M); and locating unit (B) being operative to locate the data string of the one or more second data strings in a forward position of a data string of the one or more first data strings to be located in a forward position of the data string of the one or more second data strings when it is judged that the PCR to PTS difference computed by the computing unit (L) is smaller than the passing time difference computed by the computing unit (M), and the outputting means may be operative to output the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therein for transcoding a coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence, comprising: (a) computer readable program code for inputting a first coded signal through a first transmitting path at an input bit rate; (b) computer readable program code for demultiplexing the first coded signal inputted by the computer readable program code (a) into one or more first data strings, one or more second data strings, and one or more third data strings, the one or more first data strings each having a number of real inputting bits; (c) computer readable program code for transforming the one or more first data strings demultiplexed by the computer readable program code (b) into one or more first data strings having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the one or more first data strings, respectively; (d) computer readable program code for multiplexing the one or more transformed first data strings transformed by the computer readable program code (c), the one or more second data strings demultiplexed by the computer readable program code (b), and one or more corrected third data strings to generate a second coded signal; (e) computer readable program code for correcting the one or more third data strings demultiplexed by the computer readable program code (b), on the basis of the first coded signal, in accordance with a change of the second coded signal to generate the one or more corrected third data strings having a number of real inputting bits when the one or more transformed first data strings, the one or more second data, and the one or more corrected third data strings are multiplexed by the computer readable program code (d); and (f) computer readable program code for outputting the second coded signal through a second transmitting path at a target bit rate lower than the input bit rate of the first coded signal.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (a) may have computer readable program code (a2) for inputting MPEG-2 transport streams. The computer readable program code (b) may have computer readable program code (b2) for demultiplexing the MPEG-2 transport streams inputted by the computer readable program code (a2) into one or more transport stream packets having a coded video signal having a number of real inputting bits as one or more first data strings. Also, the computer readable program code (f) may have computer readable program code (f2) for outputting MPEG-2 transport streams having a video signal having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the coded video signal.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (a) may have computer readable program code (a3) for inputting coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams. The computer readable program code (b) may have computer readable program code (b3) for demultiplexing the coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams inputted by the computer readable program code (a3) into one or more transport stream packets having a coded moving picture sequence signal having a number of real inputting bits as the one or more first data strings. Also, the computer readable program code (f) may have computer readable program code (f3) for outputting coded multiplexed sound and moving picture sequence streams having a coded moving picture sequence signal having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the coded moving picture sequence signal.
Alternatively, the aforesaid computer program product may further comprises: (g) computer readable program code for computing a value of system clock indicative of a start time of the computer readable program code (b), on the basis of a first reference time information element contained in the first coded signal; and (h) computer readable program code for computing an initial value of the system clock for the second coded signal on the basis of the value of the system clock computed by the computer readable program code (g).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (c) may further comprise: (c51) computer readable program code for decoding the one or more transport stream packets having a coded video signal having a number of real inputting bits to reconstruct and output video PES packets; (c52) computer readable program code for decoding the video PES packets decoded by the computer readable program code (c51) to reconstruct and output video elementary streams having a real inputting bits, decoding time management information element DTS and presentation time management information element PTS of the video elementary streams, and PTS_DTS flags indicative of presence of the decoding time management information element DTS and the presentation time management information element PTS; (c53) computer readable program code for transforming the video elementary streams decoded and outputted by the computer readable program code (c52) into video elementary streams having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the video elementary streams; (c54) computer readable program code for generating transformed video PES packets on the basis of the transformed video elementary stream transformed by the computer readable program code (c53), the decoding time management information element DTS, the presentation time management information element PTS and the PTS_DTS flags indicative of presence of the decoding time management information element DTS and the presentation time management information element PTS decoded and outputted by the computer readable program code (c52); and (c55) computer readable program code for encoding the transformed video PES packets generated by the computer readable program code (c54) to generate a transformed transport stream packets having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the transport stream packets.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (b) may have computer readable program code for demultiplexing the first coded signal into transport stream packets having a coded audio signal as the one or more second data strings.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (b) may have computer readable program code (b71) for demultiplexing MPEG-2 transport streams inputted at a predetermined time interval by the computer readable program code (a) into the one or more first data strings, the one or more second data strings, and the one or more third data strings, each having a number of real inputting bits. The computer readable program code (c) may comprises: (c71) computer readable program code for decoding the one or more first data strings to reconstruct video elementary streams having a number of real inputting bits and other information elementary streams, and separating the video elementary streams from the other information elementary streams; (c72) computer readable program code for transforming the video elementary streams reconstructed and separated by the computer readable program code (c71) to generate output video elementary streams having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the video elementary streams; and (c73) computer readable program code for generating one or more transformed first data strings having a number of real outputting bits less than the number of real inputting bits of the one or more first data strings demultiplexed by the computer readable program code (b71) on the basis of the output video elementary streams reconstructed by the computer readable program code (c72) and the other information elementary steams reconstructed and separated by the computer readable program code (c71). The computer readable program code (d) may have computer readable program code (d71) for multiplexing the one or more transformed first data strings generated by the computer readable program code (c73), the one or more second data strings demultiplexed by the computer readable program code (b71), and the one or more corrected third data strings corrected by the computer readable program code (e) to generate a second coded signal to be outputted at the predetermined time interval.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (c) may comprise: (c81) computer readable program code for assuming that a number of real outputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval is equal to a number of real inputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the first coded signal at the predetermined time interval; (c82) computer readable program code for assuming that a number of real inputting bits of the one or more third data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval is equal to the number of real inputting bits of the one or more corrected third data strings generated by the computer readable program code (e) at the predetermined time interval; (c83) computer readable program code for subtracting the number of real inputting bits of the one or more second data strings contained in the first coded signal at the predetermined time interval and the number of real inputting bits of the one or more third data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval from a target number of outputting bits of all data strings contained in the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval to generate a value A; (c84) computer readable program code for subtracting a total number of real outputting bits of one or more transformed first data strings generated by the computer readable program code (c73) prior to the predetermined time interval from a total target number of outputting bits of one or more transformed first data strings generated by the computer readable program code (c73) prior to the predetermined time interval to generate a value B; and (c85) computer readable program code for computing a target number of outputting bits of the transformed first data strings generated at the predetermined time interval by the computer readable program code (c73) by adding the value A and the value B.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (c72) may comprise: (c91) computer readable program code for computing a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams on the basis of outputting bits of the second coded signal able to be outputted at the predetermined time interval; (c92) computer readable program code for computing a reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits on the basis of the target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed by the computer readable program code (c91) and the real inputting bits of the video elementary streams reconstructed by the computer readable program code (c71); and (c93) computer readable program code for computing a quantization scaling factor required for transforming the video elementary streams to generate the output video elementary streams, on the basis of the reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits computed by the computer readable program code (c92).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (c91) may comprise: (c101) computer readable program code for computing a ratio of a total number of real outputting bits of the first one or more transformed data strings generated by the computer readable program code (c73) prior to the predetermined time interval to a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams prior to the predetermined time interval; and (c102) computer readable program code for computing a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams at the predetermined time interval on the basis of the ratio computed by the computer readable program code (c101). The computer readable program code (c92) may have computer readable program code (c103) for computing a reference ratio of outputting bits to inputting bits on the basis of the target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed by the computer readable program code (c102) and the real inputting bits of the video elementary streams reconstructed by the computer readable program code (c71).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (c) may comprise: (c1101) computer readable program code for computing a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams reconstructed by the computer readable program code (c72); (c1102) computer readable program code for computing a sum of a target number of outputting bits of the output video elementary streams at the predetermined time interval and a total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams which have been generated until the time when video elementary streams inputted prior to the predetermined time interval into a video ES buffer are consumed; (c1103) computer readable program code for judging upon whether the total number of real outputting bits of the output video elementary streams computed by the computer readable program code (c1101) is greater than the sum computed by the computer readable program code (c1102); and (c1104) computer readable program code for terminating the computer readable program code (c) and starting the computer readable program code (d) for processing the one or more transformed first data strings when it is judged that the sum is greater than the total number of real outputting bits by the computer readable program code (c1103).
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (d) comprises: (d1201) computer readable program code for computing a difference by subtracting a value of lastly past presentation time management information element PTS of the first coded signal from a value of a synchronous time information element PCR located in a head position of a data string of the one or more second data strings; (d1202) computer readable program code for computing a difference between passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the first coded signal and passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the second coded signal; (d1203) computer readable program code for judging upon whether the difference computed by the computer readable program product (d1201) is smaller than the difference computed by the computer readable program code (d1202); and (d1204) computer readable program code for locating the data string of the one or more second data strings in a rearward position of a data string of the one or more first data strings to be located in a rearward position of the data string of the one or more second data strings when it is judged that the difference computed by the computer readable program product (d1201) is smaller than the difference computed by the computer readable program code (d1202) by the computer readable program product (d1203). The computer readable program code (f) may have computer readable program code (f1201) for outputting the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval.
Alternatively, in the aforesaid computer program product, the computer readable program code (d) may comprise: (d1301) computer readable program code for computing a difference by subtracting a value of a synchronous time information element PCR to be past subsequently in the first coded signal from a value of a presentation time management information element PTS of a just past data string of the one or more second data strings; (d1302) computer readable program code for computing a difference between passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the first coded signal and passing time of the data string of the one or more second data strings in the second coded signal; (d1303) computer readable program code for judging upon whether the difference computed by the computer readable program code (d1301) is smaller than the difference computed by the computer readable program code (d1302); and (d1304) computer readable program code for locating the data string of the one or more second data strings in a forward position of a data string of the one or more first data strings to be located in a forward position of the data string of the one or more second data strings when it is judged that the difference computed by the computer readable program code (d1301) is smaller than the difference computed by the computer readable program code (d1302) by the computer readable program code (d1303). The computer readable program code (f) may have computer readable program code (f1301) for outputting the second coded signal at the predetermined time interval.